Ordered the LMT’D (before price bump - and also got $40 off for taking the Ride1Up pledge). The LMT’D checked the boxes on what I was looking for. I've been looking at getting an electric bike for 8-9 months and have been reading/lurking on these forums - thank you all for the excellent content. I've watched WAY too many Youtube reviews by Court and many many others. I looked at the BIG brand names (Trek, Giant, Specialized) and they have some really nice products but the price they are asking is a huge premium over their scrappy start-up DTC competition. I could buy one of the brand names - but the price premium on those bikes is about dealer support and distribution/inventory carrying. I don't need to buy into either. I'm capable and know my way around torque wrenches, spoke wrenches, electronics, etc, etc. Putting a bike together and keeping it running is actually fun for me. Others may need the support - if you do, go brand name/dealer.
I've looked closely at Rad and Juiced - and the other "bigger but not quite ubiquitous brand names". They sell some nice products. Rad was less expensive - I liked the Rad Rover but it came with a lot of compromises - cadence sensors, spring forks and cable/mechanical brakes - I like those Seattle guys story and respect their products. I also really like Juiced - they seem to be the leader on the disruptive e-bike block. I looked at the RipCurrent for a long time. I like their battery development and I like their torque sensors. But their frame design is very "me too" and not inspiring - it looks like a bike with a battery bolted onto it - they could do better in that regard but they seem to favor battery size over design - a lot of people will agree with that philosophy and go that way - nothing wrong with that, distance matters. Juiced prices are leaning toward being steep - especially their batteries - $1300 for a replacement battery? What the AF? No question, there is a need/demand for what Juiced sells and people will rationalize buying Into the Juiced system where replacement batteries costs $1000+ alone - I'm not one of them. I appreciate Rad and Juiced products and I know they cover market segments that will keep them in business. Really nice bikes.
Why did I decide on a Ride1up bike? Short answer is value. I really liked their 700 series design - I prefer an integrated battery - I like low profile/inconspicuous. I don't need to announce - HEY I'M ON AN E-BIKE! The 700 series has a LOT going for it. Really nice looking bike - with air shocks and hydraulic brakes at a super competitive price. But... my research on eBikes put a premium on torque sensor vs cadence sensor. The latter is what the 700 is equipped with and at the price, that makes sense. The lack of a torque sensor on the 700 made me hesitate as I was willing to hold out for torque sensing and pay more. I'm not using my bike as a commuter bike so battery longevity/range was not critical (but it's still important). I don't ride in the rain or wet weather so I don't need fenders (would have removed them from the RipCurrent). I don't ride at night so I don't need lights... I primarily ride during daylight to get around town in good weather. A rack is a necessity... I wish the LMT’d included one!
The LMT'd builds on what I like about the 700 - while taking away some things I didn’t need. you get the Integrated battery/bike design, hydraulic brakes, air shocks, nice/color display (rebadged Luna 500c) and most important, torque sensing. It will be interesting to see if the latter is well implemented and is worth some of the things the bike trades off (marginally) to keep the price low - like off-brand (but dependable) components (Mxus, Tektro) and lower end levels of big name brands (Shimano). Along with not including fenders, lights and a rack. (It’s easy enough to add these though- I’ll add a rack). Another big plus is a standard battery design (Reention) that can be independently sourced at a reasonable price. Seeing them for under $400 online - I’m hoping Ride1Up sells replacement batteries locally from the states. Last but not least - 51lbs… Not a feather weight but pretty damn light for an e-bike at this price.
it will be interesting to see the uptake on this bike. They already increased the price less than 48 hours after releasing it. Sales must be good...
ride1up.com
